Well tools



Jan. 29, 1963 H. c. oTls WELL TOOLS Filed Nov. 14, 1958 IIIA Il I4.

United States Patent Glitice Patented Jan. 29, 1963 3,075,475 WELL TOOLS Herbert C. tis, Dallas, Tex., assigner to Otis Engineering Corporation, Dallas, Tex., a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 14, 1958, Ser. No.. 773,919 11 Claims. (Cl. 103-232) This invention relates to well tools and more particularly, to a well tool for removing fluids from the bores of wells by gas pressure.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved well tool for removing liquids produced by wells which is removably positionable in the well tubing of a well.

Still another object is to provide a Well tool for removing well fluids from wells which produce both gas and liquids, the gas being conducted to the surface of the well through the annular ow passage between the well casing and an inner well tubing, the liquid being conducted to the surface through the well tubing, and the well tool being positionable in the well tubing.

A further object is to provide a well tool for automatically removing liquid from the bore of a well which produces both gas and liquids and wherein the liquid column in the Well acts in controlling operation of the valve and the gas produced by the well provides the motive power for transporting the liquids to the surface.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a well tool for use in wells having -a casing and an inner tubing telescoped therein, and wherein gas is produced through the annular space between the tubing and casing which tool includes a valve removably positioned in the tubing and operable by uids produced in the well, which opens intermittently to permit ilow of the gas produced in the well to transport excess liquids to the surface through the well tubing.

Another object is to provide a valve which is positionyable in a tubular member, such as well tubing, and which includes a valve sleeve biased downwardly toward an open position by a resilient means and which is moved upwardly toward a closed position by the iluid pressure in the well tubing.

Still another object `of the invention is to provide a valve body connectable in a well tubing and havingr a pluralityof restricted oriiices opening into the well tubing and a valve sleeve movable upwardly in the valve body by uid pressure for closing the valve to close such orifices, the valve sleeve being moved toward such closed position by the pressure of duids in the well tubing in which the valve is positionable.

A further object of the invention is to provide a valve wherein the liquid which passes through the valve sleeve to the well tubing causes the valve sleeve to open when a predetermined pressure is developed by the column of liquid in the tubing above the valve sleeve, the gas iiowing through the restricted orices blowing the liquid upwardly through the tubing to the surface.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a well tool for removing accumulated iluid from the well bore at periodic intervals of time, such intervals being determined by the amounts of liquids produced by the well.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a well tool for removing accumulated fluid from a well bore which is mountable wholly within the well bore.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the reading of the following description of a device constructed in accordance with the invention, and reference to the accompanying drawings thereof, wherein:

\FIGURE l is a vertical, partly sectional View of the well tool for removing lluids from a well shown removably positioned in the well tubing of a well;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged, vertical partly sectional View of the valve illustrated in FIGURE 1, showing the valve sleeve in its upper closed position;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2, showing the valve sleeve in open position; and

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View of the valve seat, valve sleeve and oriiice restricting plug of the valve illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3.

Referring now to the drawing, the well tool 10` for removing fluids from -a well bore is shown anchored in a Well tubing 12 by means of a hanger and sealing tool 13 to which it is secured. The tubing 12 extends through the well casing 14 spaced therefrom so that the tubing and the casing provide an annulus or cylindrical flow passage 15 through which the gas and liquid produced from a producing formation 17 may ow. The casing 14 has a plurality of perforations 18 connecting with the flow passage 1S and the producing formation. It will be apparent that the liquid produced by the well is heavier than the gas and will tend to fall downwardly through the annulus 15 to the bottom of the well bore to accumulate therein while the gas may ow upwardly through they annulus 15 to the surface of the well where it is discharged into a storage tank or into a pipe line for transport to the site of use. The well tool 1 0 is employed to remove such accumulations of liquid through the well tubing 12. The liquid may be either oil or water.

The hanger and sealing tool 13 may -be of the typev disclosed in the patent vto H. C. Otis, No. 1,972,791, and includes a central tubular mandrel Ztl which is provided at its lower end with a cup-type sealing member 27 which is moved by fluid pressure into engagement with the tubing to seal between the central tubular mandrel 20 and the tubing. The tubular mandrel is provided The hanger and sealing tool 13 is lowerable through the tubing by means of a suitable running tool, not

shown, which is connected to the upper end of the slip carrier 34, the gripping slips being thus held in an upper position on the expander surface of central tubular mandrel 2t) whereby they are supported in retracted position 'out fof engagement with the internal walls of the tubing during downward movement of Ithe hanger and sealing tool 13.

The slip lcarrier sleeve 34 and the slips 32 are longitu.

dinally movable on the central tubular mandrel Ztl so that when the hanger and sealing means reaches the desired'position in the well tubing 12, the running tool is suddenly moved downwardly relative to the mandrel 20 to cause the slips to move downwardly `on the expander surface 30 and thus cause their serrated outer surfaces to engage the internal walls of the well tubing to anchor the hanger and sealing means in place in the well tubing. Further downward force is then imparted to the slip carrier to positively anchor the slips in gripping position in the well tubing. The sealing member 27, being fluid pressure expansible, seals against the internal wall of the tubing upon upward iluid ow in such tubing, and, as a result, the seal member 27 seals between the central tubular mandrel 20 and the Well tubing so that uids may now liow from below the hanger and sealing me'ans 13 only through the tubular bore 37 ofthe central tubular mandrel.

The lower end 22 of the mandrel 2t) is externally threaded whereby the valve lil may be secured thereto land be supported by the hanger and sealing means 13- in the well tubing.

The valve includes an upper sub 4d having an internally threadedy upper end which engages the externally threaded lower end 22' `of the tool 13. The upper sub 4t)A is provided with an externally lthreaded und reduced lower end on which is threaded the upper end' of avalve body 42 int-o whose lower end is threaded the upper end of the pipe 43'. The pipe 431 in turn is'l connected lto a strainer 45 by means of a connector coupling 46. The strainer 45 is preferably yof a porous type of metal which permits vliquids and gas to pass therethrough but which will not pass solids. The coupling 46 sealingly engages the lower end' of the pipe 4d and the upper thread'edend of the connector sub 48 ofV the strainer 45.

The upper'sub ddha's'an enlarged bore at its lower end which provides adownwardly facing annular shoulder 513 which limits upward movement of the annular valve seat 52 disposed in the enlarged bore andheldv therein by a snap retainer ring 53. The snap ring is disposed irr an internal annular recess 54 of the upper sub'4 di) lo oatedbelow the downwardly facing shoulder S0 thereof. Ihe annular valve seat 52 is provided with an external `annular recess in which is disposed an O`-ring or other' annular sealing member 56 which seals between the valve seat 52 and` the upper sub 4u'.

The valve bodyl 42' is provided' with an internal annular flange 58 which provides- -a downwardly :and inwardly extending upper surface 59V and and an abrupt downwardly facing annular shoulder 69. The upper surface'y o 59 of the flange 5S ofthe valve body 42 limits down'- Ward" movement of a valve sleeve 62" which is slidableE llongitudinally intheV valve body between anupperV posi# tion in which its upper end engages the seat 52 kand a lower position in which thel valve sleeve isA supportedY byl said flange 58, since the valve sleeve is provided at its upper end with an external annular ii'ange 63' whose lower shoulder isl adapted to engage the upper surface 59'I of the flange SS upon downward movement of the* valve sleeve in the valve body.

The; valve sleeve is provided with an` externa-l annularl recess spaced below the flange 63 in which is disposed! an O-ring 65 which engages the flange 5S to seal bertween the valve sleeve and the valve body.

The valve sleeve 62 is biased downwardlyl 'towardl the open position illustrated in FIGURE 3'; by means of a spring- 70Y disposed aboutV the valve sleeve, the` upper end*V of the spring abutting thedownwardly facing annular shoulder 6i) of the flange 58 and the lower end of the-spring engaging a jam nut 712 threaded `onvthe flower-A end of the Valve sleeve. A similar nut '73 may be threaded on the valve sleeve to lock the upper nut 72 in any adjusted position on the valve sleeve. It will be apparent that the biasing fonce exerted by the resilient spring 70 may be `adjusted by rotation of' the" nuts 72: andV 73 on the valve sleeve 62.

The lower end of the' valve sleeve is provided with af choke 7'5 which is threaded into the lower end of the valve sleeve. The choke limits the etiectivei orifice of' fthe valve sleeve, and the. oriiice of the choke is smaller than the diameter of the bore of the valve sleeve;

The valve body 42 is provided with a plurality of upwardly and' inwardly extending radially spaced lateral ports 80 threaded to receive plugs 82 which have restricted orifices 83a. therethrough. The ports titl open.y throughth'e upper surface 59' of the internal iiangesA 58l ofv the valve body sovthat the ports Si) provide a iiow pas-Y sage or communication between the exterior ot the valve bodyV below the sealing member 27 of the hanger and sealing, means or well' tool 13 and the interior of the valve body below the annular valve seat 52 but above the ange 53, so that iiuids may i-lowfroml the tubi-ng through the ports 8@ into the interior of the sub 40 and thence to the longitudinal bore 37 of the hanger and sealing tool and the tubing thereabove, when the valve sleeve is in the lower position illustrated in FIGURE 3. When the valve sleeve .is in its upper closedV position wherein its upper outwardly and downwardly extending surface 83 abuts the valve seat 52, the valve sleeve 62 prevents ow of iiui'ds througlrl the ports' Shinto the longitudinal bore 37 of the hanger and sealing well tool 13.

When the valve sleeve is in the upper position illustrated in FIGURE 2, upward pressure of ii'uids in the pipe 43 and valve body 42. acts on an are'a of the valve sleeve 62 which is the diierence between the area of the oriiice of the choke 7S and the area sealed ofiby the engagement of the valve seat152 andthe surface 332 of the valve sleeve. The pressure of the fluids in the tubing below the seal-- ing member 27, which is transmitted to the bore of the v-alvebody 421 adjacent the end of the valve sleeve through the ports 80,. does not tend' to move the valve sleeve either upwardly' or downwardly when the valvev is in the closed` position illustrated in' FIGURE Z sin'ce the areas of? the flanged' head 63 at the upper end` of the valve sleevev exposed to such pressure are balancedand' provide' no unbalanced exposed area upon whichl such pressurel might act to move the valve sleeve in either direction.

Whenl Vthe valve moves" to the lower position illustrated in FIGURE 3, however, the Weill fluids flowing through the ports 892 tendt'o-ba'l'ance the ii'uid pressures acting on the valve sleeve" so that the force of the spring 70 moves the valve sleeveY downwardly.

Ifn use, iuid's, both gas andiliquid, fromthe producing formation I7 How into the wellcasing 14 through the perforations` 1d'. The gas hows int'o the annulus or cylind'rical iiow` passage 155? t'othe surface' of the wellwhere it accumulates andi' may be conducted throughI suitable lateral Iiow pipes toa gas transmission line'or storagek tanks. 'lhey liquid which flows into the annulus 15j from the` producing formation 17 being heavy falls downwardly to the bottom of the well and as it accumulates therein i's forced upwardly into the lower end of thewel-l tubing 12 by the formation pressure. The pressure of the liquidsv acting upwardly acrossthe choke 75 of the Valve sleeve 62 causes the v'alve sleeve tomovetupwardly to thev closed' posit-ion against the resistance of thek spring 70: The accumulated liquid continues to move upwardly through the choke and the valve sleeve to the longitudinal` passage 37 of the hangerv and' sealing well tool 13 andthenc'e upwardly to theiwell tubing above the sealingmember 27.

When a column of liquid of predetermined height has accumulated" or built up in the well tubing above the sealing member 27 and. above` the valve sleeve 62,v the. upwardi pressure diierential across the valve. sleeve falls or is reduced due to the back pressure created. by. the weight of such column of liquid standing above the valve in the, well tubing, whereuponl the valve sleeve moves downwardly to the open position illustratedin FIGURE 3.. When this occurs, the pressure of the gasin the annulus 1S forces any remaining liquids in the tubing below thevalve p'orts Si) upwardly through the restrictedV orices 82al of the plugs SZand. through the longitudinal passage 37 of the hanger and! sealing lwell tool 13 to the well tubing thereabove. The gas from the annulus now flows not only through the choke 75' of the valve sleeve but alsoy through the upper end of the tubing, the upward pressurev dierential across the valve sleeve is increased due, to the fact that the weight, of. the. column' of liquid in the tubing is reduced by virtue of the lessening height of the column of such liquids present in the tubing, and because the combined areas of the openings through the plugs 82 and through the choke 75 are selected to provide an effective flow opening which sufficiently restricts or limits flow of gas therethrough into the tubing above the tool l@ to create an upward differential acting across the valve sleeve 62 to move the same upwardly to closed position at or slightly before the time at which the liquid is completely ejected from the upper end of the tubing. The increased pressure differential created by the gas passing through the valve sleeve will thus again cause it to move upwardly to the closed position when the back pressure created by the column of liquid diminishes due to the fact that the liquid is discharged to the surface of the well. When the valve sleeve moves again to its closed position, liquid again begins to accumulate in the bottom of the well tubing, until a predetermined column of liquid of the predetermined height above the valve is again built up in the well tubing, which again causes the valve sleeve to move to its lower position whereby the gas admitted through the orifices 82a as well as through the choke orifice 75 again causes the column of liquid to be discharged through the upper end of the tubing at the surface of the well.

It is preferable that the valve sleeve move to its upper or closed position at a time slightly before the entire column of liquid in the tubing has been ejected therefrom, because the gas present in the tubing above the tool i() will continue to` expand, since it is acting against only atmospheric or a very low back pressure at the surface, and such continued expansion of the gas will force out of the tubing the short column of liquid still remaining in the upper end of the tubing after valve sleeve closes. This operation reduces the amount of gas used in slugging the liquid out of the tubing, and is desirable. However, the sizes of the orifices in the plugs 32 and in the choke 75 may be so selected that they provide, in toto, an opening which creates a restriction limiting flow of gas therethrough sufficiently to close the valve sleeve when all liquid has been ejected from the tubing above the tool.

It will now be seen that the valve acts automatically intermittently to utilize the gas entering the well bore from the producing formation of the well to discharge accumulated liquids through the-well tubing in a slug, with minimum wastage of gas.

It will further be seen that the valve includes a valve sleeve having a restricted orifice which restricts flow of well fluids flowing therethrough to create a predetermined pressure dierential thereacross, and that such differential moves the valve sleeve to an upper position against the biasing force of a spring 7i). lt will further be seen that the pressure differential is reduced or decreased by the v back pressure created by'liquids forced or flowing upwardly through the valve until a predetermined back pressure, created by a predetermined column of liquid above the valve in the well tubing in vwhich the valve is located, is attained, whereupon the valve opens to permit the gas from the producing formation to act upon the column of liquid in the well tubing to move it upwardly in the well tubing to be discharged at the surface of the well.

lIt willfurther be seen that the effective orifice of the valve sleeve may be varied by connecting chokes 75 of preselected orifices in the sleeve; and, similarly, that the effective orifice provided by the orifices 82a in the plugs 82 may likewise be varied to vary the conditions under which the valve closes.

The orifice of the choke 7S should be such that, at the differential existing across the choke between the bottom hole well fluid pressure therebelow and the substantially atmospheric pressure in the tubing thereabove, the choke will permit liquid to pass therethrough at a rate somewhat less than the rate at which liquid is accumulating in the well bore from the producing formation. Under this condition, substantially no gas will accompany the liquid through the choke, but liquid will accumulate in the bottom of the well in the tubing and in the annulus.

Also, the orifices S201 in the plugs 82, in toto, should provide an effective orifice of a sufficient capacity to permit passage of gas therethrough at a high enough rate to provide an adequate volume of gas in the tubing to slug the liquid column out o-f the upper end of the well tubing, but must, as has already been pointed out, also be of a size which will restrict or limit flow of gas therethrough sufficiently to effect closing movement of the valve sleeve when the liquid has been ejected.

It will further be seen that the predetermined height of the column of liquid in the well tubing, which causes actuation of the valve, may also be varied by varying the downwardly biasing force exerted by the spring 70 by adjustment of the nuts 72 and 73 on the valve sleeve to vary the force with which the spring 70 biases the valve toward open position.

It will likewise be seen that the valve operates automatically without control from the surface once it has been installed in the well tubing.

It will also be apparent that the valve 1t) may be located in the well tubing by any suitable hanger and sealing tool, such as the well tool 13 provided with anchoring means 32 which lock it in position against upward displacement in the well tubing and with a sealing member 27 which seals above the valve, whereby all flow of well fluids takes place through the valve sleeve when the valve sleeve is in its upper closed position, and through the valve sleeve and the lateral ports of the valve body when the valve sleeve is in its lower open position.

It will further be seen that the new and improved well tool for automatically intermittently removing liquids from a Well includes an outer tubular member mounted in a well flow conductor of the well having a valve longitudinally movably mounted in the bore thereof provided with a restricted flow passage so that the liquids will pass therethrough with substantially no gas, and that the valve is adjustable in such a manner that the accumulated column of liquid in the tubing acts to control the opening of the valve sleeve to utilize the gas from the producing formation to slug or eject the liquid as a body from the tubing when a sufficient column of liquid of predetermined height is in the conductor above the valve member, -and that the outer member is provided with a lateral port or ports which, when the valve moves toward an open position, utilizes flowing therethrough to effect reclosing of the valve sleeve to permit further accumulation of liquid preparatory to a rejection of the slugging ejection of such iquid.

It will further be seen that when the well liquid is discharged from the upper end of the well flow conductor the increased pressure differential across the valve member moves it upwardly to its closed position whereby an automatic intermittent movement of the valve member is obtained which causes intermittent discharges of the accumulated well fluids from the well.

It will be readily apparent that the well tool may be used equally well for producing liquids from a well bore in which the gas pressure is injected into the annular space between the casing and the tubing from an external source, as, for example, by introducing gas at the surface from another well or a compressor or the like. Such an installation is common in the gas lifting of oil and gas wells to provide a supply of lifting gas pressure in the annular space for lifting fluids therefrom and would be used in cases in which the well from which the liquids are to be produced does not itself produce suflicient gas from the producing zone into the well bore to lift the liquid to the surface.

The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory only, and changes in the details of the construction illustrated may be made by those skilled in the art, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

:Lorenza What` is claimedanddesired to be secured by Letters' Patent is:

l.A A well tool including: an outer elongatel member having a longitudinal bore; avalve sleeve having a continuously'open longitudinal passage in said longitudinal bore of said' outer rmember for limited longitudinal movement therein; means sealing between said valve sleeve and said outer member for preventing iiow of iluids therebetween, said longitudinal ow passage of. said valve sleeve permitting flow ofV iiuids through said outer member past saidc sealing,y means: a-t all times, said outer member having a lateral port, communicating with said. longitudinal bore above said sealing means, said. valve. sleeve when in an upper position closing said port, said valve sleeve. permitting flow of well iluids through said port into' said' longitudinal bore when in a lowerV open position; and means engaging said valve sleeve in said outer membery biasing said valve sleeve toward open position, said valve sleeve having a means restricting said iiow passage, said means restricting llow' through said flow passage creating apredetermined fluid pressure differentialv across said valve'sleeve for moving said valve sleeve between a' position closing said lateral port and a position opening said lateral portV in response tothe differential in iluid pressures above and below saidv valve sleeve.

2. A'well tool for intermittently removing. well fluids', which include liquidsi from a well provided with` ay wellI flow conductor including: anouter member having aY longitudinal: iiow passage-theretlirougmmeans connected with said outer member for relea'sablyY securing said outer member in: the well flowconductor;` sealing means carried by saidv outer member for' sealing between'said outer member and. said welll flow ctmrluctor;` said'. outer member having al lateral' port below said4 sealing means providing for admission of' fluids from within the' well flow conductor exteriorly-4 of said.y outer' member int'ofthe interior thereof; a-valveelernent,v in saidi longitudinal owpassage of said' outer member longitudinally' movable therein; lsealing meansin said' outer member below saidalateral port and engaging saidY valve element: for preventing ow of duids through said outer member eXteriorly of; said valve ele'- rnent; said valve element beingmovable longitudinally in sa-id outer member between a' port closing position wherein it closes: said lateral port andan open positionv whereinsaidv port, is'opened. to affordv communication between the longitudinal@ bore oi the outer member and the lo'ngitudinalbore of the iow. conductor,iiowrestricting means removably positioned in the flow passage of said valve element forcontroliing: the flow of iiuids through the said ow passage to create a; pressure diierential across said valve element said. valve element having a longitudinalk flow passage therethrough constantly open to permit conrinuousilow of fluids through saidl element, wherebythe; fluids in. the outer member ilowingthrough the valve element act thereupon to movethe valve element longitudinally in the outer membenfsaid..valvefelement, being movable tosaid port closing position. by the pressure of well. uids flowing through said longitudinal ilow passage of said outer member; said valve element being movable to its open position when liquids flowing through the outer member exert, a predetermined back pressure on said. valve element whereby the opening of said lateral port, causes said well uids owing through said lateral port and said longitudinal passage of said valve element to move said liquids upwardly in said outer member above said valve element.

3;, A wellv tool of the character set forth in claim 2 which includes meansA in said outermember biasing said valve element toward its open position in saidouter member and resisting movement of said valve element toward position closing said lateralv port.

4. A well tool' of the character set forth in claim 2y wherein saidy flow'y restricting means mounted inthe flow passage of said valve element is removably mounted in said longitudinal constantly open flow passage restricting flow of fluids through said valve element,. whereby restriction of now ofv iiuids through said element may be` varied.

5.. A well control. device for` use ina wellhaving a well casing and a tubing stringv mounted in the casingland hav'- ing a fluid inlet at its lowerV end', said well control' device including: a valve body having av longitudinal flow passage therethrough and a lateral port intermediate its ends communicating between the exterior of the-body' and the flow passage; means4 for releasably' anchoring said valve body in saidwellv tubing; means on said body for sealing between said Ibody and the well tubing above the lateral iiow passage of said body; a longitudinally movable valve sleeve disposed in said longitudinal ow passage of saidY body and having a longitudinal flow passage therethrough continuously open to llow through said valve sleeve, said valve sleeve being movable longitudinally in said body between a position closing the` lateral port into the flow passage. of the body and a position opening said lateral port; means biasing said valve sleeve in the body to a position opening said lateral porti; said valve sleeve being responsive tothe pressure dilierentialeXer-ted-by theow of uids owing through the. sleeve,4 whereby a. predetermined pressure dinerential applied to said sleeve by such uids moves said sleeve: to2 ai positionV closing said lateral port; and. sealingmeans' in said How' passage of said body belowY saidlateral porti and engaging' said valve sleevefor sealing therebetween tot direct rluidsl through'y the iiow= passage ofthe sleeve..

6. A: well. control device oftheY charactenset forth inY claim 5,A including means` removably mounted in said lateral port of said valve body restricting flow of' fluidsl through thefow passage of said body.

7. A` well control device of the character set forth in claim 5', including: means removablymounted in' the' flow passage of the: valve sleeve for restricting ilow of iluids through such flow passagev to create a predetermined pressure diiierential acrossA said valve under predetermined conditions*v of ow in the well.

8. A well control device of the character set forth in claim` 5 wherein the means biasing said valve sleeve to position opening the laterali port inthe body comprises a helical spring surrounding said sleeve and engaging at one end the valve body and at the other end a member adjustably mounted on the sleeve for varying the force exerted on the valve sleeve on said spring, whereby the valve. member is moved to its open position opening the lateral` .port into the valve body whenthe pressure differential across the valve member due to the'ow of well uids therethrough drops ,below a predetermined value impressed on the spring.

9; A wellA control' device ofthe character set forth in claim 5 including' an elongate tubular member surrounding the valve sleeve andY connected atits upper endr with the valve body and extending a substantialdistance bellow the body andopen at itslower endv for receiving uids from the bore of the wellV tubing a substantial distancey belowthe lateral port in the valve body.

l0. A well control device of the character set forth in claim 5 wherein the valve body is provided with a valve seat in the ow` passage therethrough` positioned above the lateral port in said body, said seat being engageable =by the valve sleeve upon movement of said valve sleeve upwardly into engagement therewith tou close, oit ow inwardly through said lateral port into the ow passage of the body, said` flow passage ofsaid valve sleeve remaining open to permit How therethrough while said sleeve is engaged with said seat.

ll. A well control. device of the, character set forth in claim` 9 wherein a' strainer' member is mounted. on thev lower end of said tubular extension for straining solid matter out of the uids admittedfrom the Well tubing into said tubing member for flow through said valve body.

'References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Arbon July 28, 1925 Schabarum Oct. 7, 1930 Boynton May 8, 1934 Williamson May 22, 1934 Boynton Jan. 1, 1935 Mackowski Dec. 10, 1935 Wight Feb. 11, 1936 10 Phipps Nov. 17, 1936 Toney Mar. 12, 1940 Peake Aug. 19, 1941 OLeary Sept, 7, 1943 OLeary June 6, 1944 OLeary Feb. 6, 1945 -Otis Ian. 22, 1946 Tausch Oct. 14, 1958 Vincent Dec. 23, 1958 

1. A WELL TOOL INCLUDING: AN OUTER ELONGATE MEMBER HAVING A LONGITUDINAL BORE; A VALVE SLEEVE HAVING A CONTINUOUSLY OPEN LONGITUDINAL PASSAGE IN SAID LONGITUDINAL BORE OF SAID OUTER MEMBER FOR LIMITED LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT THEREIN; MEANS SEALING BETWEEN SAID VALVE SLEEVE AND SAID OUTER MEMBER FOR PREVENTING FLOW OF FLUIDS THEREBETWEEN, SAID LONGITUDINAL FLOW PASSAGE OF SAID VALVE SLEEVE PERMITTING FLOW OF FLUIDS THROUGH SAID OUTER MEMBER PAST SAID SEALING MEANS AT ALL TIMES, SAID OUTER MEMBER HAVING A LATERAL PORT COMMUNICATING WITH SAID LONGITUDINAL BORE ABOVE SAID SEALING MEANS SAID VALVE SLEEVE WHEN IN AN UPPER POSITION CLOSING SAID PORT, SAID VALVE SLEEVE PERMITTING FLOW OF WELL FLUIDS THROUGH SAID 